I-95 Travel Plazas

Pre-demolition Hazardous Materials Investigation, Underground Storage Tank Removal, Well Installation, Environmental Project Management – I-95 Travel Plazas—Maryland and Chesapeake Houses, Harford and Cecil Counties, MD (60833436R)

Project Name:
Pre-demolition Hazardous Materials Investigation,
Underground Storage Tank Removal,
Well Installation,
Environmental Project Management
I-95 Travel Plazas—Maryland and Chesapeake Houses,
Harford and Cecil Counties, MD (60833436R)

Completion Date:  2014

Contract Size/Value (last 5 years):  $56 million

Completed On Time and Within Budget?  Yes

Client: AREAS USA INC

Aria Environmental, Inc. (AE) served as the Environmental Program Manager for AREAS USA MDTP LLC for the redevelopment of the Maryland House and Chesapeake House Travel Plazas on I-95 as part of the first Public Private Partnership in Maryland. The work included the identification testing and removal of hazardous materials associated with the buildings, water towers, and underground storage tanks. Program management included remediation plan preparation, coordination with regulatory agencies and MDTA, recordkeeping and reporting, participation in project meetings, and quick response to emerging issues.

Beginning in April 2012, AE provided hazardous materials identification, testing and quantification on all hazardous, universal and regulated wastes anticipated in the Maryland House and Chesapeake House Travel Plazas. AE worked in buildings that were occupied and open to the travelling public in order to complete the investigation in time for the September 15, 2012 closure of the Maryland House Plaza. AE provided onsite support during abatement activities.

In addition to the hazardous materials investigation and testing, AE managed the installation of six new 120-feet deep multi-level wells at the southern end of the Maryland House Travel Plaza. AE prepared work plans, provided project coordination and monitoring, provided troubleshooting assistance, prepared progress updates, prepared reports, and provided field support during well development and pump testing. The installation of the wells was performed by Eichelbergers, Inc. of Mechanicsville, PA and geological and geophysical services were performed by Environmental Alliance, Inc. of Millersville, MD. Complex and variable geology across the site created challenges that were overcome by the use of multiple drilling techniques requiring a number of drill rigs. Well development was performed using conventional pumping methods and air lifting to achieve the desired results. Well performance was confirmed by MDTA through pump testing.

Upon well completion, site work began at Maryland House to abandon the existing recovery system and monitoring wells, remove the underground storage tanks and contaminated soil from the northern service station, restaurant building and southern service station. AE prepared work plans to MDTA for MDE approval. AE provided field monitoring during the removal and disposal of the service station surface features, tanks, equipment and product line removal, and contaminated soil removal and disposal. AE worked with MDE to collect soil samples for analysis and presented the final reports documenting the satisfactory completion of the work.

Work at the southern service station was unique in that contaminated soil excavation reached a depth of 26 feet across the tank field and up to 13 feet below ground surface in the dispenser fields. The presence of large hard rock and boulders hampered the effort to remove contaminated soil. A total of 43,000 cubic yards of soil was removed from the southern service station excavation. AE installed seven replacement groundwater monitoring wells in the southern service station location. No new development occurred on the southern end of the site. As environmental managers, AE worked with Sunoco in the redevelopment of the northern service station. AE established new groundwater monitoring wells at the perimeter of the new tank field and dispenser areas.

At the time, the Chesapeake House Travel Plaza remained open to the travelling public.  Environmental restoration work took place much as it did at Maryland House beginning with the early demolition of the southern service station, well abandonment, tank and product line removal, and contaminated soil and groundwater disposal. The Chesapeake House restaurant building and northern service station closed and work begun on that site when Maryland House reopened.

 Client Contact:

AREAS USA INC
Carlton Battle
Project Manager

Ayers Saint Gross Architects
1040 Hull Street
Baltimore, MD
Brian Blazejak

Whitney Bailey Cox & Magnani, LLC
300 East Joppa Road, Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21286
Phil Der, PE
Senior Vice President